File cabinet



March 27, 1945 H. c. LINDROS 2,372,504

FILE CABINET Filed May 29, 1945 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 March 27, 1945. H. c. LINDROS 2,372,504

FILE CABINET Filed May 29, 194:5 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 March 27, 1945.- H. c. LINDROS FILE.CABINET Filed May 29, 1945 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Patented Mar. 27, 1945 FILE CABINET v Hialmer C. Lindros. Jamestown, N. Y., assignor to Art Metal Construction Compan mJamestown, N. Y., a corporation of Massachusetts Application May 29, 1943, Serial No. 488,961

12 Claims.

This invention relates to file cabinets of the class employed for thefiling of overlapping index cards, and is more particularly concerned with novel features'of the card-filing trays and'of the extension slides for supporting the trays when "withdrawn from the housing and swung down- 'wardly for the inspection of the cards and the 7 making of records.

The invention Will best be understood by reference tothe following description when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings of one specific embodiment thereof while its scope will be pointed out more particularly in the appendedclaims.

In the drawings:

Fig. l is a front elevation of a cabinet embodying the invention;

Fig. 2 is a sideelevationof the cabinet with thelowermost drawer. partially drawn out and remaining in, a horizontal position and with the uppermost drawer audits-extension slides drawn out, the drawer being in an inclined position and supported'by the slides;

Fig. 2a is a perspectiveview illustratingthe relative arrangement of a plurality of horizontally disposed guides provided with notches and a vertically disposed stop bar received in said notches;

Fig.3 is a sectional View on an enlarged scale on line 33 of Fig. 1; e Fig. '4 is a plan of one of the extension slides and the associated slide stop, the latter being shown in horizontal section; Fig; 5 is a side elevation of the same;

1 Figs. 6, 7, 8 and v9 are sectional views on corresponding section lines of Fig. 5 e

' Fig. 10 is a sectional View on line l 0 l0 of Fig. 2; p

Fig.v 11 is a plan of one of the card-filing trays; Fig. 12 is a sectional view on line 2l2 of Fig. 11; I

Fig. 13 a sectional view on line Fig. 11'; v H

Fig. 14 is a horizontal sectional view of one front corner of a tray; 1 1

Fig. 15 is a vertical, transverse, sectional view of a lower corner of the housing;

Fig. 16 is a vertical, longitudinal, sectional view of the lower portion of the housing; and

Fig. 17 ,is a horizontal sectional view of the housing.

' Referring to the drawings and to the embodiment of the invention illustrated therein by way land '2, there is shown a file cabinet having a the front or head 26.

and'13) has its margin received in a groove 34 housing comprising a top l8, a bottom 20, side 'walls '22, and a rear wall 2d, the front of the housing beingentirely open except for the fact that it is occupied by the fronts or heads 26 of trays now to be described.

Referring now to'Fig. 11, each tray comprises a rectangular frame composed of the front or head 26, a rear strip 28, and two side strips 30, the rear strip being tenoned into the side strips and the latter (see Fig, 14) being tenoned into A panel 32 (see Figs. 12

. in thefront or head 26, a groove 35 in therear strip 28, and grooves 38in the side stripstfl. The side strips 30 are provided with channels 40 to receive trunnions 42 onthe ends of resilient wires 44 which constitute supports for cards 46 (see Fig. 11) to be filed in overlapping fashion,

' the degree of overlap being determined by'the diameter of the trunnions.

A rear Writing support is afforded by an extra heavy card 48, of pressboard for examplesupported on one of the wires. A front Writing support 50 is suitably secured in place as by lugs 52 at its rear received in the channels 40, and at its front by screws 56 extending through the support 50 into blocks 56. The rear. end of each tray (see Fig. 11) is provided with laterally projecting pivots 53 inthe nature of dowels which extend through the side strips 30 into the rear strip 28 and reinforce the rear corners,as well as providing pivotal support for the tray when the latter is drawn to its extreme forward position as hereinafter explained. Normally, these pivots have no part in the support of the tray,

but'the latteris supported solely by a horizontal partition 60 (see Fig. 10) except in the case of the lowermost tray which is supported by the housing bottom 26. Normally, also these pivots are disposed far beyond the rear ends of the extension slides now to be described.

viding them with upper and lower fins 66 and 58 travelling in grooves 70 and 72. In the case of the uppermost tray, the grooves 70 are provided in guides M at the top of the housing.- In the case of thelowermost tray, the grooves 10 are provided in guides presented by the bottom 20 of the housing. In the case of the intermediate trays there are guides 16 each having a groove 10 at the bottom and a groove 12 at the top.

'These guides insure smooth and positive operation.

The travel of the extension slides is short (in fact only a small fraction of the travel of the trays) and is predetermined by a novel arrangement which will now be described, reference being had at first to Fig. 4 which shows one'of the slides in plan. The slide is provided in its outer side (next to the adjacent side wall) with a notch 18 (which interrupts the fins 66 and 68) and the notches of the entire vertical series of extension slides are occupied by a stop 80 in the nature of a vertical bar introduced through an opening 82 in the bottom (see Fig. 10) and held in place as by a screw 84 through the side wall 22. The upper end of the bar is snugly received in a notch 86 in the uppermost guide 14 and in like notches 86A in the guides 16.

If it should ever become necessary to replace one of the extension slides, this can easily be accomplished by taking out the screw 84 and withdrawing the stop bar 80 downwardly, after which the extension slide can be withdrawn by sliding it forward out of the cabinet housing.

The cooperative action of a tray and its associated extension slides will now be described, reference being had to Fig. 3 which shows the right-hand slide. The slide normally rests in the position shown with its front end just behind the drawer front or head 26 whose outer face is now flush with the front of the cabinet housing. At this time, the pivot pins 58 at the rear end of the tray are near the rear wall 24 of the housing, and far to the rear of the rear- After the tray has.

ends of the extension slides. been drawn forwardly a sufficient distance, the pivot pins 58 enter the rear ends of the grooves 64 in the extension slides 52. To facilitate the entrance of each pivot pin 58 into its groove 64, the latter is widened rearwardly (see Fig. 3) vso that, at its rear end the groove is, for example, nearly twice as wide as at its front end.

When, in the forward movement of the tray, the pivot pins 58 arrive at the front ends of the grooves 64, the extension slides start to move forwardly and continue to the extent permitted by the stop bars 80 in the notches T8 in the slides. The extension slides are now projected from the front of the housing (see Fig. 2) and the tray can be swung downwardly and rested upon the front of a lower tray partially withdrawn from the housing. If desired, one of the slidesmay be provided with a notch 88 (see Figs. 3 and 4) leading upwardly from the groove 64 to permit the upward displacement of the pivot pin 58 from the groove and the removal of the tray from the slides, when the latter are projected from the housing.

When, in returning the tray to the housing, the tray front or head strikes the front ends of the extension slides 62,.the. latter are pushed rearwardly until the stop bars 80 prevent their further movement, whereupon the pivot pins. 58 traverse the grooves 64 in the slides 62, emerge from the rear ends of said grooves, and finally come to rest near the rear wall 24 of the housing. The final position of the tray isdetermined by the striking of the rearwardly facing surfaces of the tray front or head 26 against the front faces of the extension slide guides 14 or 16, as the case may be.

Having thus described one embodiment of the having side walls, a forwardly and rearwardly movable tray within said housing, fixed tray supporting means normally affording complete support for said tray, a pair of forwardly and rearwardly movable extension slides, each slide having a recess facing outwardly toward the adjacent side wall and having an inwardly fac- 1 ing groove closed at its front end and open at its rear end, a pair of pivot pins projecting laterally from said tray and normally disposed rearwardly of said slides but arranged to enter said grooves during forward movement of said tray and to leave said grooves during rearward movement of said tray, said slides being provided with top and bottom fins, top and bottom guides having grooves in which said fins travel forwardly and rearwardly, and stops disposed between said side walls and side slides and extending into said recesses of said slides to limit their forward movement beyond the front of said housing and to limit their rearward movement to a travel less than the rearward travel of said tray.

2. In a, cabinet, the combination of a housing having side walls, a forwardly and rearwardly movable tray within said housing, fixed tray supporting means normally affording complete support for said tray, a pair of forwardly and rearwardly movable extension slides, each slide having a recess facing outwardly toward the adjacent side Wall and having an inwardly facing groove closed at its front end and open at its rear end, a pair of pins projecting laterally from said tray and normally disposed rearwardly of said slides but arranged to enter said grooves during forward movement of said tray and to leave said grooves during rearward movement of said tray, guides for said slides, and stops disposed between said side walls and said slides and extending into said recesses of said slides to limit their forward movement beyond the front of said housing and to limit their rearward'movement to a travel invention, what I claim and desire by Letters less than the rearward travel of said tray.

3. In a cabinet, the combination of a housing having side walls, a forwardly and rearwardly movable tray within said housing, tray supporting and guiding means, a pair of forwardly and rearwardly movable extension slides, each slide having an inwardly facing groove closed at its front, end and open at its rear end, a pair of pins projecting laterally from said tray and normally disposed rearwardly of said slides but arranged to enter said grooves during forward movement of said tray and to leave said grooves during rearward movement of said tray, guides for said slides,

and stops disposed between said side walls and yond the front of said housing and to limit their rearward movement to a travel less than the rearward travel of said tray, said tray having lateral projections to engage the front end of said slides and to move them rearwardly from their forwardly extended positions to positions in which they do not extend beyond the front of said housing.

4. In a cabinet, the combination of a housing having side walls, a vertical series of forwardly and rearwardly movable trays, two vertical series of forwardly and rearwardly movable tray-supporting, extension slides whose front ends normally are disposed rearwardly of the front face of said housing, each slide having a lateral notch facing outwardly toward the adjacent side wall of said cabinet, a pair of vertically disposed stop bars each common to a vertical series of slides,

and received in said notches, respectively, of the entire vertical series of slides to limit forward and rearward movement of said slides, and cooperative means on said tray and said slides to utilize forward and rearward movement of said tray to cause forward and rearward movement of I said slides.

5. Ina cabinet, the combination of a housing having side walls, a forwardly and rearwardly movable tray, a pair of forwardly and rearwardly movable tray-supporting, extension slides whose front ends normally are disposed rearwardly of the front face of said housing, eachslide having a lateral notch facing outwardly toward the adjacent side wall of said cabinet, a pair of vertically disposed stop bars received in said notches, respectively, to limit forward and rearward movement of said slides, said stop bars being mounted for vertical movement, and said housing being provided with openings through which said stop bar may be introduced into and withdrawn from said housing by such vertical movement, and c operative means on said tray and said slides to utilize forward and rearward movement of said tray to cause forward and rearward movement of said slides. 1

6. In a cabinet, the combination of a housing having side walls, a forwardly and rearwardly movable tray, a pair of forwardly and rearwardly movable tray-supporting, extension slides whose front ends normally are disposed rearwardly of the front face of said housing, each slide having a lateral notch facing outwardly toward the adjacent side wall of said cabinet, a pair of vertically disposed stop bars received in said notches, respectively, to limit forward and rearward movement of said slides, means. preventing horizontal movement of said stop bars, said stop bars being mounted for disengaging movement to disengage them from said notches, means normally to prevent such disengaging movement, and cooperative means on said tray and said slides to utilize forward'and rearward movement of said tray to cause'forward and rearward movement of said slides.

'7. In a cabinet, the combination of a housing having side walls, a forwardly and rearwardly movable tray, a pair of forwardly and rearwardly movable extension slides, means including abutments on said slides to limit movement of said slides to a distance less than the movement of said tray, said means including also a pair of members mounted for movement into and out of cooperative relationship with said abutments,

means preventing horizontal movement of said' members, and cooperative means on said tray and said slides to utilize forward and rearward movement of said tray to cause forward and rearward movement of said slides.

8. In a cabinet, the combination of a housing,

a tray normally housed in said housing and arranged to be projected forwardly from the front of said housing, a pair'of traysupporting, extension slides arranged to support said tray when said slides and said tray are projected forwardly from the front of said housing, said slides being provided with abutments, guides for said slides, said housing having vertical side walls which are disposed laterally of and support said guides, and

vertically disposed stop bars between the inner faces of said walls and said guides and arranged to limit the forward movement of said slides by engagement with their said abutments, said bars being distinct from and movable vertically with relation to said walls and said guides.

9. .In a cabinet, the combination of a housing having lateral walls, a tray normally housed in said housing and arranged to be projected forwardly from the front of said housing, a pair of guides secured to said walls, respectively and provided with notches, a pair of tray-supporting, extension slides supported by said guides, respectively, and arranged to support said tray when said slides and said tray are projected forwardly from the front of said housing, said slides being provided with abutments, and means projecting from said walls into said notches and cooperating with said abutments to limit forward displacement of said slides.

10. In a cabinet, the combination of a housing I having lateral walls, a tra normally housed in said housing and arranged to be projected forwardly from the front of said housing, a pair of guides secured to said walls, respectively, and provided with notches, a pair of tray-supporting, extension slides supported by said guides, respectively, and arranged to support said tray when said slides and said tray are projected forwardly from the front of said housing, said slides being provided with abutments, and vertically disposed bars projecting from said lateral walls into said notches and cooperating with said abutments to light the forward displacement of said slides.

11. In a cabinet, the combination of a housing having lateral walls, a tray normally housed in said housing and arranged to be projected forwardly from the front of said housing, a, pair of guides secured to said walls, respectively, and provided with notches, a pair of tray-supporting, extension slides supported by said guides respectively and arranged to support said tray when said slides and said tra are projected forwardly from the front of said housing, said slides being provided with abutments, and vertically disposed bars projecting from said lateral walls into said notches and cooperating with said abutments to limit the forward displacement of said slides, said bars being movable out of said notches to permit complete forward withdrawal of said slides.

12. In a cabinet, the combination of a housing having lateral walls, a tray normally housed in said housing and arranged to be projected forwardly from the front of said housing, a pair of guides secured to said walls, respectively, and provided with notches, a pair of tray-supporting, extension slides supported by said guides, respectively, and arranged to support said tray when said slides are projected forwardly from the front of said housing, said slides being provided with abutments, and means normally projecting inwardly from said walls into said notches and cooperating with said abutments to limit forward movement of said slides, said means being mounted for movement out of said notches and out of cooperation with said abutments to permit complete withdrawal of said slides.

HJALMER C. LIND'ROS.

CERTIFICATE OF CORREC'I'ION.

Patent No. 2,572,50L March 27, 191

HJAIMER C LINDROS It is hereby certified that error appears in the printed specification of the above nmnbere'd patent requiring correction a e-follows: Page 2, sec- 0nd column, line 18,;c1aim 1, for "side slides" read -said slides"; page Zfsecond column, line 511., claim 10 for "light" read ""-1iJIl1t--; and that the said Letters Patent should be read with this correction therein that the same may conform to the record of the case in the Patent Office.-

Signed and sealed this 12thday of June, A D. 1915.

Leslie Frazer (Seal) Acting Commissioner of Patents. 

